MISSOULA, MONT., June 28 — The Bitterroot Trail will bring Missoula and Bitterroot Valley residents, out-of-town visitors, community businesses, government agencies and nonprofit organizations together to celebrate bicycling during the Montana Bicycle Celebration, July 15 - 17.

Saturday, July 16 will be the community’s first opportunity to use the completed 50-mile, non-motorized Bitterroot Trail from Missoula to Hamilton. The celebration will include free, supported bike rides on the Bitterroot Trail throughout the morning, a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Travelers’ Rest State Park at 12 p.m., and a bicycle expo at Silver Park from 2 - 5 p.m. Adventure Cycling Association will celebrate its 40th anniversary during the weekend celebration with social events and with nationally-acclaimed speakers, music, art, and film. Sunday Streets on July 17 from 12 - 4 p.m. will round out the celebratory weekend.

Speakers and special guests throughout the weekend include 2016 Trans Am Race winner Lael Wilcox, The Bicycle Nomad, acclaimed cellist and bike advocate Ben Sollee, renowned storyteller Willie Weir, and Bikecentennial co-founders Dan and Lys Burden and Greg and June Siple. See attached for full schedule of events and bios.

There is no cost to participate in the Bitterroot Trail ride, but registration is required at MontanaBikeCelebration.com. Registration includes aid stations with water, snacks, restrooms, and bicycle mechanics. The first 250 people to register will receive a stainless steel tumbler with the Bitterroot Trail logo. Everyone who registers will be entered in a drawing to win a Raleigh youth bicycle.

Participants wishing to sign up for shuttle service must register by June 30. Shuttles will leave from Silver Park in Missoula (near Ogren Park at Allegiance Field) starting at 7 a.m. and will drop off participants and their bikes in Hamilton (47 miles one-way), Victor (35 miles one-way), Stevensville (29 miles one-way), Florence (20 miles one-way)  and Lolo (11 miles one-way), in the morning with time to ride to the ribbon-cutting ceremony at Travelers’ Rest State Park at 12 p.m. and the bicycle expo at Silver Park from 2 - 5 p.m. Cyclists looking to return to destinations in the Bitterroot Valley after the ride can catch a shuttle from Travelers’ Rest at 1 p.m. or from Silver Park at 4 p.m.

Hundreds of visitors from outside of Montana and dozens from outside the United States, many of whom participated in Adventure Cycling’s founding event, Bikecentennial, a 4,250-mile cross-country bicycle ride in 1976 to celebrate the bicentennial of the United States, are expected to participate in the Montana Bicycle Celebration.

Bikecentennial 76 was planned in Missoula and later changed its name to Adventure Cycling Association. Today, the nonprofit organization with a mission is to inspire and empower people to travel by bicycle has over 50,500 members and more than 45,000 miles of bicycle routes, including the original TransAmerica Trail, created for Bikecentennial. The Bitterroot Trail is part of the TransAmerica Trail.

Generous supporters of the Bitterroot Trail ride include Southgate Mall, TrailWest Bank, Windfall, REI Missoula, Sun Peak Construction, Clif Bar, and Culligan.

Montana Bicycle Celebration partners include Adventure Cycling Association, Bike Walk Alliance for Missoula, Bike Walk Bitterroot, Bitterroot Trail Preservation Alliance, Destination Missoula, Free Cycles Missoula, Missoula in Motion, Missoula County Parks, Trails and Open Lands Program, Missoula Parks and Recreation, Stevensville Main Street Association, and Travelers’ Rest State Park.
 

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Adventure Cycling Association inspires and empowers people to travel by bicycle. It is the largest cycling membership organization in North America with more than 50,500 members. Adventure Cycling produces cycling routes and maps for North America, organizes more than 100 tours and leadership courses annually, and publishes the best bicycle-travel information anywhere, including Adventure Cyclist magazine. With over 45,000 meticulously mapped miles in the Adventure Cycling Route Network, Adventure Cycling gives cyclists the tools and confidence to create their own bike-travel adventures. Phone: 800-755-BIKE (2453). Web: www.adventurecycling.org.

CONTACT

Eva Dunn-Froebig, Events & Outreach Coordinator

edunnfroebig@adventurecycling.org

Direct: (406) 532-2743 / Twitter: @advcyclingassoc

IMAGES & INTERVIEWS

For high-res images, or to arrange an interview, please contact Eva Dunn-Froebig.

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Tweet: Ride the #BitterrootTrail on July 16. MontanaBikeCelebration.com #MTBikeCelebration #AdventureCycling

Facebook/Newsletter: Bicycle enthusiasts of all ages: Be part of the Montana Bicycle Celebration, July 15–17, to celebrate the completion of the Bitterroot Trail and Adventure Cycling’s 40th anniversary. Sign up to ride the Bitterroot Trail on Saturday, July 16 at MontanaBikeCelebration.com. Other weekend events include programs with nationally-acclaimed speakers, music, art, film, and Bikecentennial reunions. #MTBikeCelebration #BitterrootTrail #AdventureCycling